Alcohol-based hand sanitizer ignites at mall

SAUGUS, MA — Efforts by the Square One Mall to keep patrons healthy by providing alcohol-based hand sanitizer stations backfired after one of the sanitizing units spontaneously combusted earlier this week, according to The Daily Item.

The machine is powered by batteries rather than electricity, so many are puzzled as to how the blaze ignited, the story stated.

Town of Saugus Fire DepartmentChief James Blanchard said: "It had spread up the wall and set off the sprinklers. We''re still looking into how that got started. We''re trying to see if anyone else has had a similar problem. It''s kind of unusual. I''ve never seen anything like this."

No one was hurt in the incident that was contained to a small area near the restrooms of the Square One Mall’s food court, the story noted.

Simon Malls, which owns Square One Mall, has placed similar dispensers in all of its malls, the story added.